Calm After the Storm
by Crimson2
Summary: What happened after Kuja came back to life!! Slightly depressing... but hey! What are the gang gonna do about it? Huh? Huh? R+R NOW!! *sorry*


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CALM AFTER THE STORM _  
By Crimson._

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A/N: Something I did when i wasn't in the... happist of moods. Erm... R+R it please? It's not brilliant, but then I haven't done an FF9 one for ages, so it'll have to do for now (I swear there's better ones coming!). Thanks anyway! DISCLAIMER: All of these characters belong to Sqauresoft, although I made up the names of some of the genomes later in the story). 

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**_CHAPTER ONE: Gaia Revisited_**

Zidane looked around him, and grimaced. The once rich landscape on the Mist Continent had become nothing more than decaying tree stumps and ruined buildings. Kuja had returned from death, and had wreaked havoc on Gaia. Zidane looked over his shoulder, and saw a scuttling rat scavenging amongst the ruins of Alexandria. He turned on his heel, and headed back to what was left of Alexandria Castle, to comfort Garnet. 

Garnet hadn't left the castle ever since the disaster had happened 2 days ago. She had been in the castle at the time, and had watched her beautiful city being destroyed, before the fall. The fall she'd suffered when Kuja's raging fireball hit her castle. She had blacked out, and when she'd woken up, she was in the remains of her chamber: it was missing one wall and part of the ceiling. She'd refused to go outside since. Her beautiful city... how could it end like this? 

Freya was checking the remains of Burmecia. It was hard to tell that it was her city, but the rain proved the fact to her. Burmecia was now simply a smouldering ruin. She headed through the castle gate, where Fratley was surveying the castle. It seemed all right, still standing, as it ever had been, tall and proud. It brought a shred of hope into their deserted hearts. 

Amarant was in Ispen's Castle. The very spot where he had beaten Zidane to the target, the mirrors. Everything was quiet, and only half of the castle remained. There were no enemies anymore, they'd either been destroyed, or they fled when the fireball hit. He moved over to where the moogle was. "Kupo," it said. "It WILL be alright, won't it?" "Hmmm," grunted Amarant. "We'll put everything right eventually..." 

Eiko was with all the moogles, in Madian Sari. She was sheltering in her little front room. The summoner's hall had been destroyed, and all that was left was one feeble piece of incense that Eiko held, and the head of one of the murals, which was leaning against the wall. She shivered. Lani was with her, and they both sat on the table. "There's nothing we can do, is there?" asked Lani. "Oh, we'll do something," replied Eiko. "But we all need to get together." 

Quina shuddered. "No frogs!" s/he exclaimed. S/he'd been repeating the phrase ever since the fireball had burnt up Qu's Marsh. All that was left was a blackened pond, with singed reeds around it. A plank from Quale's house was floating on the stagnant water. "Frogs gone! I get you, Kuja... now I angry!" S/he grabbed his/her Gastro Fork and started to waddle off towards Alexandria, where s/he knew Zidane and Garnet would be. 

Steiner still stood his guard, alongside Beatrix, outside what was left of the castle doorway in Alexandria. Although the fireball had destroyed almost everything they knew and loved, they had to keep up their job. To give them something to do, as lounging around doing nothing makes everyone feel worse. With heavy hearts, they controlled the entrances into the castle, hoping to soon see a face they recognised, with a hope of revenge... 

Vivi was amongst the Black Mages in Black Mage Village, comforting them. Although they were silent, the pain in their eyes was almost that of Vivi's. He tried to comfort the others, but for the most part, he found himself standing in the cemetery, just staring into the distance. Mr 33 seemed to be doing the same, but he was mourning for his friends. He had recently begun to hope that he would 'stop' soon too, so as to avoid the devastation that clung upon the world like a heavy mist, creeping into every dark corner. 

  
Kuja chuckled. His magic fireball had shot around the planet in an hour, destroying everything in its path. And at his command, everything WAS in its path: he had sent the fireball everywhere. He knew of the still-standing Burmecia Castle, but that meant little to him. That one small building against what he could, and had, done to the world? The inhabitants could NEVER stand up to him and his power! Besides, he could always take the castle to use as his stronghold... but then the Desert Palace, where he was now - he had made the fireball miss it - had everything he needed. Yet Burmecia Castle was right in amongst 'them'. What was he to do? He'd surely come to a decision. All in good time… 

  
As Freya stood bewildered amongst the ruins of Burmecia, the castle now dark and grim behind her, her mind settled on the right decision. It was time to return to Alexandria. 

Amarant, too, could take no more. The cold stone walls seemed to be closing in on him, and it seemed inevitable that here he would meet his doom unless he left soon. He gathered up his scattered possessions and headed off, aiming for Alexandria. 

It didn't take long for the same thought to reach Vivi. He looked around him at the mournful mages and genomes. This was it. He wouldn't let Kuja get away with it. Gathering a small army of 5 mages and 7 genomes, he got on the Hilda Garde 3, which had been left outside. They headed for Alexandria, with one simple thought - revenge. Even the genomes thought so, as they'd had time to find out how beautiful Gaia (once) was. 

Eiko thought so too. She looked outside, and there was merely destruction. She looked up at the sky. It was a deep, moody purple. She looked at the moogles. They were cowering in a corner. She looked at Lani. She was surveying the ruins, and trying to fix them with clumsy axe strokes. Yes, the ruined Madian Sari was even more ruined than before. She grabbed Lani, and they went off in the direction of Alexandria, leaving the moogles to hold the fort. 

  
Freya walked into Burmecia. Fratley was behind her, scavenging anything that looked useful from the wreckage. She looked around. Although this was mass-destruction, it was surprisingly serene, and seemed as if the ruins had been there forever, slowly ageing. "Calm after the storm," she muttered to herself. 

At that moment, Vivi came up to her from behind, with his small army. As he saw Freya, he let out a cry of delight. So other people were thinking the same too... 

As they proceeded towards Alexandria Castle, they ran into Amarant. He had no one with him, but he seemed ready to take on anything. He fell into step alongside Fratley. 

When they'd finally reached the door to Alexandria Castle, they saw Eiko, with Lani, who'd come into Alexandria a different way (over what was left of the walls). They all gathered outside the castle door. 

Hearing voices outside, Steiner and Beatrix ran to guard the door. But when they saw whom it was, relief overcame their faces.   
"It's you!" Amarant stated.   
"It who?" said another voice. Quina was walking up behind them. "Oh, you!"   
"I suppose Zidane and the Queen are inside?" asked Freya.   
"Yes," agreed Beatrix. "I imagine you've come here with the same perceptions as they seem to have?"   
"Yes; revenge!" chorused everyone. They entered through the remains of the door. 

  
Kuja was in the Desert Palace, still chuckling. He gazed out of one of the high windows on the brave new world he'd created; a barren desert as far as the eye could see. Upturned rocks were scattered here and there, and blackened tree stumps stuck out of the ground like angry fingers, all pointing to Kuja. He knew he was to take the blame. But what were all those lousy little people, following one another like sheep, going to do about it? 

  
The company walked into the throne room. All that remained was a broken throne leg and two corners of the ceiling. This is where some of Tantalus were now living, and they saw Marcus. He told them that, after Lindblum had been destroyed (again), nothing remained of the Tantalus hideout, so Garnet offered them a place to live amongst the ruins of Alexandria Castle. He then directed them to where Garnet was, in her chamber. They thanked him, and, moved on. Imagine the devastating effects this whole 'thing' would have on Garnet: last time she lost her voice, but this time was much more serious... 

As the company proceeded towards the princess's chamber, half open to the sky, that strange feeling of peace and calm that had overcome Freya overcame everyone else. They stopped to take in their surroundings, but as they did so, a weary Mistodon started towards them. Yet as they prepared to fight, it collapsed in front of their eyes. It was, like everything else in this now burnt-out world, merely a fast-fading shadow of what was there before. Amarant kicked it's limp body, and it quivered. A potion fell from it. A brief ray of hope... 

  
Finally the company entered Garnet's room. She lay, face down, on her bed, now covered in dirty pink rags rather than luxury, pink, fluffy eiderdowns. She stirred when they came in, but didn't turn over. 

"No, Beatrix," she mumbled, "I don't want to go outside today either."   
Steiner and Beatrix, who had followed the company through the castle, made strange faces. Zidane, sat by Garnet's bed with a troubled look on his face, saw the company and jumped up. They signalled him to be quiet, but he still mouthed to them how great it was to see them all. 

Beatrix cleared her throat and said: "Your majesty, I don't ask of you to go outside any longer. You have visitors." 

Garnet rolled over, and looked up. There, in front of her eyes, were all her old companions from a year ago: everyone who she'd shred the journey around Gaia with, and more (Fratley, Beatrix, Vivi's 'army' and Lani). She smiled weakly, but still seemed unprepared to get up. Her eyes seemed to be clouded over, but after the meeting, Zidane agreed that that was an improvement on how she was before. 

  
The companions held a council, with even Garnet lifting her head to say the occasional word. It lasted at least 3 hours, and by the time it was drawing to a close, Beatrix and Eiko had realised that their hopes of settling this peacefully were ever more unlikely. Eiko was then prepared to fight for Madain Sari, and eventually, Beatrix reluctantly agreed to fight for Alexandria. Garnet was prepared to go on the trip, but she agreed also that for some of the more dangerous parts she would return to Alexandria in order to be a leader to her people. Freya and Fratley were prepared to go through anything: Kuja had destroyed Burmecia, hadn't he? Amarant didn't have a specific home to fight for, but he fought for the planet: Kuja had already harmed it enough just be being created. The mages and Vivi fought for Black Mage Village and some of the mages for the ability to speak, whereas the Genomes fought for Terra. Lani took the same approach as Amarant, fighting for the planet, while Zidane fought for everywhere he had visited (luckily the fireball hadn't touched any of the Chocobo dens. Quina fought for the burnt-out remains of Qu's marsh, and the frogs that once lived there. Steiner agreed with Beatrix to fight for Alexandria. Marcus, it was agreed, was to come to. He wanted to represent Lindblum. 

Word was sent out by Beatrix and Steiner, to the Knights of Pluto and the Army, to make ready for a big departure and pack everything needed: all those involved were too busy making plans. They dutifully agreed, and set about making manageable packs for each person, so all they needed was spread evenly between the 24 people and creatures who were going (Freya, Zidane, Quina, Vivi, Amarant, Eiko, Steiner, Garnet, Beatrix, Marcus, Lani, Fratley and the 5 mages and 7 genomes Vivi had brought along). 

  
A quiet, unceremonious departure took place the next day. It was kept a sworn secret; some people of Alexandria didn't know their queen was gone until up to a week later! 

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So whaddya think? It's okay I guess... d'ya think i should do another chapter? Huh? Huh? 

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